Mizuno MX 23 Iron set Golf Club

I have played about 10 rounds with these irons and I beleive they are the best irons on the market for mid-handicap golfers like myself. I was playing to a 14 handicap with my old Cleveland irons but since switching to the MX-23's I am down to a 9 and getting better.

Some of the things I like about these irons:
-Thin topline inspires confidence at address.
-Stock True Temper Dynalite Gold shafts
-Grain Flow Forged- gives them a softer feel at contact
-Perfect trajectory
-Very forgiving in 3-6 irons and 7-PW allows feel and workability

Overall I am very happy I purchased these irons and I would recommend them to anyone with a handicap of 5-15. They are very forgiving but you still feel like you can work the ball with them.

Good luck and keep it in the fairway!

***Updated 7/26/2007***
I just wanted to update my review and let everyone know that the MX-23 irons are still in my bag. I have updated every other club in my bag but I have yet to find another set of irons that is better than the MX-23. I hope this helps!

When it was time to make a decision about new irons, I switched from Ping ISI's with graphite shafts to the Mizuno MX-23 with steel shafts. I decided to write this review to share my experience because others may be trying to make a similar decision.

First, I liked the Ping ISI's and played with them for 4 or 5 years. But, I began to wonder about some things:

- would I like a forged club better?
- would I benefit from the steel shaft?
- could I be a better "shot maker" but still get the benefit of game improvement from these irons?
- should I just upgrade to another set of Pings?
- if I got Mizuno's should I get the mid-size 23's or the standard size 60's?

Here's what I've learned after 8 months of play:

- Mizuno has a good custom shop and handled my order for 1" longer 3 degs up. The swing weight was still balanced very nicely even with the extra length.

- The 23's are mid-sized, and when compared to the Pings they are in between the size of an ISI and an ISI-k. I think the mid size 23's have advantages over the standard size 60's for mid handicappers.

- The 23's don't feel or look oversized in any way, but they have a generous sweet spot and the forged "feel" that is so often discussed is no myth. PLAYERS WILL FEEL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PINGS AND THE MIZUNO FORGED IRONS--RIGHT AWAY. And, by the way, it "feels" good.

- The Mizuno steel shafts felt great right away and my distances were remarkably similar to the Pings with the exception of the Mizuno pitching wedge which is a 46 degree rather than the Ping 48 and tends to have substantially more distance (15-20 yards more).

- I believe I'm a better shot maker with the Mizuno's in terms of trajectory and fade or draw. My handicap went down 5 strokes in 8 months from 16 to 11 and I'm certain it will continue down a few more.

Bottom Line: The MX-23's are easy to switch to from the Ping ISI's. You will get the game improvement benefits of the generous sweet spot, you will keep your distance, you will experience the "feel" of the forged clubs, and you will have more confidence to work the ball when you need to.

I have no reason to recommend the Mizuno's other than my very positive experience with the irons. I hope this info is helpful.

I'm a scratch golfer who is writing about my firm dedication that the MX-23 continues to be the best iron on the market regardless of one's handicap. You see every company moving the weight low and further behind the club face for added performance. The MX-23 does that as well as any iron while maintaining an unmatched "feel" from the forging process. The real issue for iron selection is whether one "sweeps the ball" with a shallow approach or "traps" the ball with a more steep angle of attack. "Sweepers", regardless of handicap, will love the MX-23. Since a sweeper doesn't generate as much backspin as a "trapper" does, the MX-23's low-and-back distribution of clubhead weight launches the ball on a higher trajectory that allows long irons to achieve the desired distance and short irons a soft landing into a green. I am a sweeper and these irons work better for me than any I have tried. I understand why a "trapper" such as Tiger Woods likes the Nike clones of the Mizuno MP-29, MP-33 style of iron. He generates so much backspin on the ball that he needs the clubhead weight distributed higher up the face to optimize his result. Decide if you are a "trapper" or a "sweeper" and then decide where the clubhead weight should be for you. Regardless, Mizuno makes a great iron whichever one you are.

I used to be a Taylor Made diehard. Played 3 different sets over the last 10 years. Then a friend convinced me to go to a demo day, and wow, was I ever surprised to find out that Taylor Made didn't necessarily make the best clubs, they just have some great players marketing them of the tour. In fact, out of the 13 different companies at the demo, I would say TM's equipment was in the bottom half (kudo's to Srixon and Nickent!!) My old Taylor Made 360's did me well for a while, but I had no "feel" with the clubs, and there were billed as being so good for (with their "feel cartridge"). Mizuno's clubs blew me away. I was infatuated with the MP-60's, but eventually fell in love with the MX-23's after hitting them at another demo day. Wow!! I had to buy myself a set (of course here on ebay) and the second round out with them I hit 8 of 9 greens in regulation, and the only reason I wasn't 9 for 9 was that my (Taylor Made R5) driver failed me.
Every thing I read about the MX-23's was how good of a feel they are, how workable they are, and so on.... I honestly didn't believe any of the hype until I had them in my hands.
I am a golf fanatic. I am always thinking of it. I was honestly ready to throw my clubs away and give it up (which my wife couldn't believe) I'm not great at golfing (handicap is currently an 11), but I now feel with my new MX-23's, that I can play great golf. My first 2 round with them I shot +7 and +6.
So, in the very long of it, I have finally found the accuracy, distance (10+ yards), and feel that I have so longed for with my old relationship (Taylor Made, that is). Good bye TM. Hello Mizuno. If only I could give up my TM Monza putter, I might actually become a scratch golfer! :-)

"Your passion is our obsession", that is the company creedo at Mizuno and they mean it. Mizuno is a serious company for serious golfers, known for very high quality and performance they taylor themselves to the knowledgable, passionate golfer with very decerning tastes. Mizuno maybe slightly lesser known but no less respected in the industry than the big names, try them and you'll quckly find out why.
The set that I am reviewing today is the MX-23 forged cavity back. I have owned iron sets from many top club makers (Callaway BB'04s, Cleveland TA7s, Nike Pro Combos, Nicklaus CGXs) and the MX-23's are the best by far. Every other set has done well but none have had half the feel of these forged cavity back irons. Nike was the closest but the MX-23's talk to you, if you hit them well they feel like butter, slight mis-hits fly well but you hear a dead clank and hits off toe or heel warn with crack sound. The clubs are forgiving to a degree but still able to manipulate ball flight with relative ease.
If you crave forged club feel (mizuno grain flow forging is recognized as one of the very best) but your game can't quite support blades than give these clubs a chance, you will not regret it!!

I'm a 12 handicap and this is my 5th set of irons. The previous 4 sets were

Cleveland TA2 (not good)
Ping G2 (forgiving but not much feel)
Callaway x-12 (a solid club)
Tommy Armour Cavity Backs (good starter set)

The MX 23s are FAR superior to any iron I've hit before. Forget all the stuff you read about game improvement iron vs. a workable club. Last time I checked, a club that is forgiving, long and high never hurt anyone's game. I have a pretty slow swing speed and I'm spinning every iron into greens. It sounds cliche, but my only problem with these clubs it that I hit them 15 yds longer than I did my TA2s, so I'm misclubbing a lot. The one negative of the club is that they are pretty soft, and nick pretty easily.

But don't worry about that, or the price. Buy them. They'll change your game.

From the first time you strike a ball with these irons, you will love the tremendous feedback and feel they deliver. As a mid-to-high handicapper, I have never been good enough to play forged blades. As one of the only forged game improvement clubs on the market the MX-23's afford the feel of blades with the forgiveness I need.

Since purchasing these clubs, my iron play has improved substantially. The feedback I receive from each shot has helped me develop a more consistent swing and tempo. The greatest challenge I have faced is finding gap and sand wedges to match, even the most popular ones on the market don't match the feel of the 23's.

While I will also reccomend a professional fitting, these clubs alone will help anyone: you don't play forged blades anymore because you don't play as much as you used to OR you have never played forged blades because you needed a game improvement club and this product was not available.

Curious as to what I am doing on eBay since I own them? I am looking for a second set to travel with.... Once you play these you can't play with anyone else's clubs!

For me the Mizuno MX-23 irons were the right choice. The quality of workmanship and performance in this iron is above any other I have owned or played with. ( and i've played with several brands over the years) All my buddies play either Callaway or Taylor Made and they razed me pretty good when I showed up with these irons but after I started taking home there hard earned money they don't laugh anymore in fact two of them have switched to Mizuno for this upcoming season. I believe that about say's it all.

Love the feel when you find the sweetspot. I just sidelined my fairly new Ping G5's because I got a good deal on the MX-23 set on Ebay, and I'm seeing benefits to my game immediately, including an approximate gain of 10 yards per iron. The G5's were just feeling a bit too forgiving; almost a spongy feel even when hit solid. The MX-23's have a crisper sound and feel when you hit the sweetspot, although I suspect the sweetspot is a bit smaller than the Pings. I can now work the ball intentionally with quite a bit of control. I'm hoping to bring my 10 handicap down a couple of points with this change. The only club in the set (3-PW) that seems to be lofted more instead of less is the PW. I'm having trouble getting the distance to match the Ping PW and an older Cobra PW that I used once in awhile...probably just a loft angle difference. The new MX-25's should hit the stores in October, but I wanted to pick up a good deal on a model that was being phased out in 2006...so mission accomplished!

These clubs are the best irons on the market. They hit pure straight shots consistently. For the better golfer you can work the ball with these clubs. I cannot get enough of these clubs. I used to hate using long irons, but the 3-5 on this set are just as easy to hit as the pitching wedge. My confidence soars with thse clubs. Be prepared to hit longer straighter shots with a pure feeling at contact!

Before owning my set of Mizuno MX23 Irons (with True Temper DynaLite Gold R300 shafts), I played with a set of Mizuno MX20s (the predecessor model, steel shafs)for about 3 years. After playing ten rounds of golf with my new MX23s, I have found that my hits are crisper & carry a higher tragectory than the MX20s. I play the Srixon Soft Feel ball and the results from 150 yards to the green are amazing. I am able to stick the ball on the green better; and closer to the pin. The weight distribution on the MX23s feel to be improved over the MX20s. Since playing with the MX23s, I have been able to record scores in the low 80s & I'm confident that I will break the 80 barrier soon. I am a senior golfer with a 13 handicap. I recommend the Mizuno MX23s to golfers looking to take their game to the next level.

One of the irons sets with best reviews in the industry. Mizuno is very well thought of for their irons. Having played the MX23s for a few weeks now, I love them. Very palayable and forgiving, yet offering plenty of feel associated with a forged club head.

These irons are simply the best feeling and functioning irons I have hit, including the new MX 25 and MX 900. I like the way they look, including how they appear when setting behind the ball. I own two sets - one with custom True Temper Tour Concept regular flex steel shafts and one with Exsar Regular flex graphite -- I love them both. I decided to buy the 23s after I had used a set of Mizuno Comp EZ because they were the best I could find at the time and I tried and like the 23s just a little better. I don't work the ball much, and with about a 10-12 handicap I don't feel like I am giving up anything because of how well I am able to hit these irons overall.

I'm another guy trolling for a second set. My backups are T-Zoid pros with DG S shafts that I played for about 7 years. I had the MX-23s fitted 2 up 1/2 long. Until then, I thought I was an off the rack guy because I'm 5' 11" and walk into a 42 R suit with no alterations, so now I'm an advocate of fitting. Don't know if there is any truth to it, but someone told me the standard Mizuno set is a little flatter and shorter than others since so many are sold in Japan. I also demo'd the MX-25 and liked the 23's better. I'm really impressed with the long irons. I hit the 3 iron great all the time about 200 and ended up buying the CLK fli hi with the same stiff exsar shaft to get a similar feel for the 210-220 shot. (I'm 48 and not expecting 210 out of my five iron.)

I lost 5 yards per iron going from Callaway X-12's to the Ping G2's a couple of years ago. After reading about the Mizuno X-25's in Golf Digest this year, I decided to try them. I bought some Mizuno 23's on EBAY for a great deal and LOVE them. I picked up 10 yards per iron. I used to hit my 7-iron 150, now I hit it 160-165 and pure! They are more forgiving than any club I've ever played. I am a Mizuno fan for life, no lie! This is an honest testimonial!

I had looked all summer to replace my irons and had loved the Mizuno MX-23's. I went to several golf stores and hit numerous irons, but the Mizunos just felt more solid and I hit them straighter and more consistently. Once I started playing with them, I had to adjust for the longer flights by dropping a club,ie. from an eight to a nine,seven to eight, all the way up the line. These irons are forgiving with a good "feel". Love them.

I bought the MX-23's after reading the great reviews. I do not agree. Should not have switched from my Taylor Made RAC LT's. Same or less distance, LT's are generally less loft. These are not any more forgiving nor feel as good to hit. Wasted my money.

Mizuno sets the standard for forged irons and the MX-23 offers the perfect blend of great performance from a forged iron and a little forgiveness for those mid-handicappers. Last year I played the MP-57's, made for better players. They are great clubs but I missed the forgiveness on miss hits that the MX-23 offers. I found out I was just not quite a good enough ball striker for the MP-57's. If you miss hit the MP-57's, you will know it. The forgiveness built into MX-23's solves this problem while still giving you the great feel of a forged Mizuno iron. I play to a 10 handicap and this is the target market for the MX-23's. Don't be surprised if you see an increase in distance with these clubs, the ball just jumps of the face. I've played Taylormade, Ping, and Callaway irons in the past and there is no comparison in my book. I don't see changing from Mizuno, but it is important to get the right set for you. It's easy to get in over your head, Mizuno makes some great players irons but they are not for the average player. So if you want a great forged club but need a little forgiveness, the MX-23 is the iron for you.

I absolutely love these clubs. Most people don't think of forged irons as game improving, but these clubs make you hit the ball correctly. And when you do, there is nothing sweeter. They are so smooth, that you almost don't even feel the ball when you hit it. If you are struggling with your iron play, I recommend that you get a set of these. The first couple of rounds you might be frustrated as I was, but once I got used to them. I have taken 4-5 shots off of my last couple of rounds. It's because I'm hitting more greens in regulation.

I have a fairly high handicap as I ususally shoot in the low 100's. I decided to try new clubs and was torn between these and the Callaway X-18's. I bought the Mizunos here on Ebay and I could not be happier. I now have 6 rounds under my belt with these, 3 of which are now in the 90's. I have cut about 10 strokes from my score in just the last 2 weeks! These did take a couple rounds to get used to hitting after going from a cast iron to a forged set, but the results have been well worth it. Mishits are relatively straight and the most noticeable aspect of these is the loss of distance. The feel of a forged club is everything as described by other golfers. GREAT irons to play when you find yourself ready to take the next step in your game, but you are being held back by equipment!

Mx23 Mizuno irons are the best game improving clubs available. They are forged, perimeter weighted, with minimal offset that instills confidence when addressing the ball. The feel these club produce is exceptional as well. Once you hit these, all the other irons out there are second. Highly recommended.

I HAD A SET OF CALLAWAY HAWKEYE IRONS. I LIKED THEM BUT WAS NOT CONSISTENTLY STRAIGHT. I BOUGHT THE MX23 MIZUNO`S AND JUST LOVE THEM, THE LONG IRONS ARE EVEN EASY TO HIT. HOPE THIS HELPS SOMEONE ELSE WHO AS THESAME PROBLEM.

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